IHSA state track preview: Sycamore hopes winning stays contagious in Charleston

In baseball and softball, hitting can be contagious. In volleyball, momentum is king, and a run can change the game in an instant.

It’s not often, however, track and field athletes talk about that element of their sport. But as Sycamore prepares for the Class 2A state meet in Charleston, it is hoping for a strong showing with momentum and chemistry playing a big role.

“All our guys are still here from running just one event, all showing out, popping out,” said Sycamore sprinter Dylan Hodges after the Spartans won their sectional last week. “Someone runs, makes a good [personal record], they’re all coming over to you, congratulating you. Then you know that one guy is going to do the next thing. Getting a good time over here, you just feel so good about yourself you really just keep going.

“The team is great, man.”

Hodges and Aidan Wyzard each will compete in four events at state, which begins for Classes 2A and 3A with preliminaries Friday. Class 1A prelims begin Thursday, and finals for all classes are Saturday.

Wyzard has the top seed in the long jump at 7.23 meters heading into Friday.

“At practices we all just get along, we joke around,” Wyzard said. “But when the time comes to work, we always lock in and stay focused.”

Eli Crome will compete in three events for the Spartans, who will send seven individuals and four relays. He, Wyzard, Crome and Burke Gautcher are on the top-seeded 4x100-meter relay. The Spartans’ 4x200 relay also has the top seed heading in, as does the 4x400.

Sycamore’s 4x800 relay is seeded third, about eight seconds off the top pace. Brandon Shaner is seeded fifth in the pole vault.

“This year we came out hard, and we’re not done yet,” Hodges said. “I really think we can make the same impact then, too. It just fuels the fire. Running all those big PRs in all our relays and jumps and everything, I think as a team we know we can make an impact out there. We just have to go out there and show it.”

For DeKalb in the 3A meet, Braylen Anderson will compete in the 100, 200 4x100 and 4x200. The Barbs’ 4x100 relay is seeded second in its heat heading in.

DeKalb coach Jeff Saurbaugh said he’s happy with the year Anderson has put together so far.

“As a sophomore, that’s pretty impressive,” Saurbaugh said. “At the start of the year we knew he was kind of special. We kind of played with him all spring, used some of the meets as workouts, and it’s paying off for him here at the end of the year.”

Saurbaugh said he has high hopes for the 4x100. Talen Tate tweaked his knee earlier in the year and has been battling back. Saurbaugh said Tate is healthy now and ready to roll.

“We’re feeling good to win our heat and make it to Saturday,” Saurbaugh said. “Then we can just see what happens in the finals.”

Individual qualifiers

Relays